Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1887-04-13

times scvera' days wcul pass without
any warm food be M ohu ned by tho @
who were most in need Of 4. Again,
whom there wa STORM. or cvcH whom
the ship cxpcr cncod he IVY wp,hsr, tho
matches were clio od rendering tbs at
mospherc of the stecr: &c almo*; s.ilng.
In fact. the condition and treat ncnt OF
this class of passengers wit. simply
abominable and su n as 10 r. lcct dscp
discrcdit upon The G NcrImsnt 1 n
allowing so many sesr 20 cla 'ac Gre
any attempt was made 10 deal with the
evil.
Now, all is changed. The steamers
which at the prescn. day cross the At
lantic are vessels rAn n, from four TO
seven thousand IONS bIrlon; and The
arrangements OF board OF thcm are OK
cellcnt in all respects. Besides the lilo
boats-which are numerous, largo,
and built on the most approved
models there are RATS which, in
case of necessity. can lie got ready and
launched in few m ,utes In the
event, too, of n fire breathing out in any
part of the ship, the appliances for ex-
tinguishing it are of the most thorough
character. In fact. the provision made
for the safety of the passengers would
be all that could b. desired il every
ship carried suffic ent number of boats
TO accommodate, IN case of disaster,
every passenger, even when her compile
ment was full. Note the late disaster
to the Oregon.
The comfort of the travelling public
is now carefully studded. The cabins
for the first-class passengers are placed
amidships, where the motion of the
vessel is least felt instead of. as for
merly, at the stern. The staterooms are
commodious. handsomely furnished.
thoroughly ventilated, and heated by
steam. The saloon, which is spacious
and well-lighted, contains a piano, a
small library, bagatelle tables, chess.
etc., for the use of the passengers
There are also smoking and
reading rooms and bathrooms,
supplied with hot as we'll
as cold water. The table Is so luxuri-
antly spread that there is scarcely
delicacy which can be obtained in the
best hotels in London. found lacking on
board these steamers. The supply of
fresh water-furnished by condensers-
is practically unlimited; whilst that
which is required for drinking purposes
is in summer cooled with ice, of which
a large stock is provided. A surgeon
is invariably carried. the law rendering
1t obligatory to do so; and his services
are at the disposal of any of the passen-
gers who needs them without the pay
ment of any fee.
Nor have the Storage passengers
failed to participate in the altered con-
dition of things. Instead of their being
crowded together in the badly ventilated
and unhealthy quarters assigned to
them, as was formerly the case, it is
now compulsory for fixed cubic space
to be allotted to each individual. Not
only, too, are the berths inclosed,
but the single women occupy
separate compartment, in the charge
of a matron. But one of the greatest
improvements which has taken place in
the condition of occupants of the steer
age has been effected by the act, passed
few years ago, requiring cooked pro-
visions being found by the owners OF
the ship; and although tho passage
money is necessarily h CHER than it was
under the old system, this drawback is
moro than compensated by the comfort
which results from the present arrange
ment.
In conclusion, / may say that. in
dulging in retrospect upon my expe-
riences tor the last forty years-during
which ] have crossed the Atlantic ten
times--I have been forcibly struck by
the contrast the peril, tedium and in
conveniences then attendant upon an
Atlantic voyage afford to the safety.
rapidity and comfort with which II Is
now accomplished. - Chambers Jour